About Me

Pages

WildCRU

The Bornean Clouded leopard Programme aims to advance understanding and enhance the conservation of the Sunda clouded leopard and other threatened Bornean wild cats in Sabah. Building on the foundations of our previous wild cat research in Sabah, this multi-site research programme, a collaborative effort between the Sabah Wildlife Department and the WildCRU, University of Oxford, will provide vital information that will facilitate the development of effective conservation strategies for Sabah’s wild cats.

The fundamental aim of this programme will be to address the question: What is the distribution and conservation status of Sunda clouded leopards and other felids throughout Sabah, and what factors affect their presence and abundance? The answers will underpin research to tackle a subsequent question: What dispersal opportunities exist for clouded leopards and other Bornean felids in Sabah, and how might dispersal corridors be protected, enhanced and restored?

The research programme will be primarily constructed around relatively short term camera trap surveys designed to estimate clouded leopard densities and felid community structure in six key forest areas within Sabah. In addition, an intensive camera trap survey will be implemented for approximately 2.5 years at a single forest site, designed to provide insights into the ecology of the clouded leopard.

Ultimately it is envisioned that the research findings will provide a basis for the Sabah Wildlife Department to develop effective management and conservation measures to enable the continued survival of Sabah’s diverse guild of wild cats.